FULL GRID EXPECTED AT 2007 PETRONAS PRIMAX 3 MERDEKA MILLENNIUM ENDURANCE

The eighth edition of the prestigious 12-hour Merdeka Millennium Endurance Race (MME), which will be held at Sepang Circuit on August 25, is expected to draw another full grid of 77 cars and 231 drivers.

With exactly a month to go before the event, race promoter and organizer Sepang International Circuit (SIC) announced today that it had already received more than 30 entries for the 2007 Petronas Primax 3 Merdeka Millennium Endurance Race.

SIC Chairman Datuk Mokhzani said with the event growing from strength to strength over the years, he was confident that there would be more than 77 cars as experienced in the last six editions of the event.

“I am pleased to announce that we have so far received some 30 entries. As in previous editions, the response from the international motorsports fraternity has been very strong,” he said at the official launch of the event at Sepang Circuit today.

The ceremony was officiated by Datuk Mirza Mohd Taiyab, the Director-General of Tourism Malaysia with Encik Md Arif Mahmood, Senior General Manager Retail Division, Petronas Dagangan representing the title sponsor.

“Teams from Singapore will be taking part and there will be top drivers from Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan and Australia as well. We should be getting more than 77 entries, as in the previous years.

“Of course, this would be sad news to some, as again, they would need to qualify for the racing grid for the race on August 25. As they say in endurance racing, in order to finish first, you first have to finish,” said Datuk Mokhzani.

Qualifying would be held on August 24 where only the fastest 77 cars in accordance to their respective classes would be allowed to start the actual race as only a maximum of 77 cars are allowed for a race at Sepang Circuit as stipulated under the circuit’s license issued by the FIA.

In thanking the national petroleum company, Datuk Mokhzani said Petronas has been a sponsor of the MME since its inaugural event at the turn of the millennium as the Official Fuel Provider.

“As we all know and appreciate, Petronas has always been our strongest partner in the promotion and development of motorsports especially for the F1 race,” said Datuk Mokhzani, adding that it was the second successive year that Petronas had come forward as the title sponsor.

The SIC Chairman also paid tribute to his predecessor, the late Tan Sri Basir Ismail, who he said was the man responsible in laying the foundation for the event, which had now progressed into Asia’s Biggest Race.

“When Tan Sri Basir mooted the idea for this event, he not only had motorsports development in his mind; but equally important, he wanted to have the MME as part of the Merdeka Day celebrations.

“2007 marks the 50th anniversary of Malaysia’s. I must say that the 2007 Petronas Primax 3 Merdeka Millennium Endurance race is the perfect platform to signify the progress that Malaysia has achieved in the last 50 years.

“Malaysian-made cars are now lining up with the top international marques such as Porsche, Subaru, Honda, Nissan and Toyota and on a race track that has been hosting the world’s most glamorous racing events – Formula One, MotoGP, A1GP and Super GT,” Datuk Mokhzani added.

At the ceremony, Datuk Mokhzani also received the MME Challenge trophy from 2006 overall winner Tengku Djan Ley Tengku Mahaleel of Team Proton R3 as well as the Silverstone Challenge Trophy from Encik Kumaran Tan of Danville Motorsports, winners of the Class B and C categories.